I don't see yo' name in lights.

 You never know. And I hate that shit.

I want to be frustrated with the kid that always sleeps in class. I would love to say something to the old lady that doesn't pick up her dog's greasy shits in my yard (maybe even bag it up and stuff it her mailbox). I'd kill to smash my car into the driver's side of that a-hole that drifted in front of me while doing eighty and clearly on his phone.

But I can't. Or, at least...I won't. Because you never know what people are going through, right? Maybe that kid's house is an absolute nightmare. Maybe that lady has serious back problems and it's all she can do to get outside with her pup. And that dickhead swerving around the highway recklessly? Nah, no matter what...f--k him.

And f--k Levee Green, the protagonist of 2020's Ma Rainey's Black Bottom. Unleashed upon us by an intermittently charming/unflinchingly terrifying Chadwick Boseman, Levee is a tortured soul on work release from his own personal Hell. Levee's got demons for sure, and depending on who you ask - just might be one his own damn self.

Set in a sultry late 20's Chicago, a quartet of musicians assemble for a day's worth of recording with the larger-than-life Ma Rainey. Rainey's worked her way up, way up in fact, and can be counted on for a hit record. She's good - real good - but like any star, she's a bit of a pain in the ass (to put it mildly), too. But it's not like she doesn't have her reasons, as her second-tier status as a black woman undercuts the shit out of her value as an artist (not to mention person). Ma knows this, and ain't playing in the least. These white dudes are making bank off her soul, swagger and sweat (lots of sweat), right? So she digs in. Always. And you should too.

As hard as it was to watch at times(/always), this Netflix-exclusive was an absolute banger. Davis is amazing as always, but holy shit does Boseman set the screen on fire. This is some seriously unhinged madness right here, and it was scary and thrilling at the same time. Levee has seen some shit for sure, and isn't exactly shy with letting everybody know all about it. So when you think it's okay to f--k around with him, it ain't. Not in the got-damned least.

This part here where everyone was happy? Where I could finally exhale?
It was my favorite three seconds of the movie.

But who you can f--k around with, all day if ya like, are the Yays and Boos. They didn't think that they'd be down with something based on a play (as I recall, Fences [review] was a bit arduous...), but this one zips by like a five dollar jam.

 Yaaaaaaaaaay!

• In my head, the 20s is just bleak and terrible, like a bunch of people standing around waiting to die in a field, but here? It looks soooo incredible and...warm. Oh, and racist as f--k. But so shiny, too.
• Viola Davis. Damn, girl. DAMN. (but she is brilliant as usual)
• This movie is the Citizen Kane of talkin' shit. These dudes are relentless.
• It was tense as Hell, and possibly misguided, but Ma puttin' her foot down for Sylvester? Wow.
• I gave up drinking soda at the end of 2019. But after Ma demanded an ice cold Coke? I feel I have made a terrible mistake.
• Don't get Toledo mixed up in nothing. I think this is the appropriate response to pretty much everything. Oh, and no lie, Toledo is pretty much the Chris Webber of this fab-five (f--k it, for the analogy's sake, Sylvester's in the band now).
• But don't sleep on Cutler, as that dude kicks ass for the Lord.
• My guy Bomani Jones calls it lemon booty, but whatever you call being stressed the f--k out, that's how I was rolling this whole damn movie, outside of a few minutes of entirely welcomed light hearted buffoonery.
• I think I've gone too far without mentioning the music, but obviously, it's-ah fantastic. 
• And finally, even though you know it's coming, you can almost never go wrong with the real-life pictures of the people the movie was just based on, and seeing Ma is no exception. It's wild enough to realize that this lady was kicking all that ass damn near 100 years ago, and even crazier that all she was doing is still, sadly, all kinds of relevant.

Pretty sure any time someone puts a shoe in your face...
...it's an absolute nightmare scenario...

Booooooooo!

• Aw, man. Seeing Chadwick so alarmingly thin was equal parts haunting and heartbreaking. RIP, T'Challa.
• You know, I'm all for giving people shit (ask anyone that knows me), but you gotta spread it around evenly, you know? It seemed to me that Toledo was the only damn target.
• M-m-m-man, I f-f-fuh-fff---felt really bad f-f-for Sylvester. Ma put that dude in the tightest of tight spots. I get it, she was looking out, but yikes...
• ...and then when he finally nails it? *cringes to death*
• Was there a bigger gut-punch than when Levee goes in about his relationship with the white man? My goodness. That story started off bad enough, and then got So. Much. Worse. (and did that make him sympathetic? 'Cause I felt awful for him)
• Jesus, that story about Reverend Gates was an absolute dagger, what the f--k.
• I know we're not supposed to feel bad for the guy, but damn, Ma put her manager dude in a tough spot ALWAYS. That guy probably relaxes after work by closing his eyes, taking a couple of deep breaths and laying down in the middle of a busy intersection.
• Yo, Levee, I was almost with you...almost had your back, til you pulled that shit at the end. The f--k, dude...
• And finally, while I typically enjoy having my heart ripped out and punted directly into my face, I had no idea this story was nothing but the worst shit ever. Maybe it's my lack of historical awareness (definitely), or maybe the trailer mislead me (possibly), but I signed up for a raucous biography with the singing and such, yes...not sobbing alone in my basement.

Should we really extend sympathy to everyone? Clearly, I tend to lean toward yes, but I'm kind of an ass in that way. I eventually let everyone off the hook, no matter how terrible they are (not everyone-everyone). Maybe something deep in my past makes me unable to hold a grudge - I don't know. Should you absolutely hate me for that? Go for it. I mean...

I'll forgive you.